PAUL PIERCE, : When you have suffered, when you have failed, when you have known what it is to be humbled -- when you endure all of that and emerge on top, triumph is all the sweeter.
The journey of the 6'7" Boston Celtic from the playgrounds of Los Angeles to superstardom is astounding both for its success and how it was achieved. From his childhood through college and the NBA, Paul toiled on the court, working tirelessly on his game, never with fanfare, always with confidence.
Today, No. 34 is consummate player, the stalwart defender and offensive dynamo who faced up and defeated LeBron James and Kobe Bryant in the same championship playoff run. He is an all-star, NBA champion and Finals MVP, and all the while, he has lived up to the meaning of his nickname -- the Truth -- by staying true to himself. next